When nothing and nowhere else to go, to take a journey a breeze. Gathered some things — a lamp, stack of books, Inbox as a reminder forever left the house and drove off. But where to go?

The hero FAR: Lone Sails no name, no gender, no history, no now (this is where the game begins) — close person. Obviously, that was the last that kept him at home. We start the path from the grave — under low gray skies and under the lonely leafless tree, stretching with all my right in the future. The opening scene as a metaphor for the entire trip: as promised in the title, a lonely, sullen and very clear direction.

Coast of Normandy become your shelter now

A miniature man in a red raincoat — the brightest spot in this world of muted colors — giving last attention to the gravestone and hit the road. First run — he can’t move a step, and then a hefty the car, standing anchored nearby. Faithful companion knows the direction — will remain only to see that he was healthy, feed him and gradually improve.

For Swiss Studio Okomotive steampunk and post-Apocalypse, perhaps, valuable in themselves, but in this case is deserted after an unknown disaster, the world is not perceived as a stage for some of the individual stories, but only as a metaphor and a way to leave our hero alone with his machine and himself.

In the course of the game will not say a single word — have to be satisfied with only the passing scenery with traces of the disaster are obviously of anthropogenic origin and, occasionally, banners with inscriptions. They, however, did not tell the story of what happened and just traces of the past days.

Here you can dream about a snow-white yacht

Steampunk besides the fact that it is just beautiful, necessary for the realization in fact the only game mechanic: the maintenance of life and the speed of the car is steam-powered. Only hack for boiler firewood or to look for coal is not necessary — the engine is running all that you will find in the path from the crates and barrels with something perhaps fuel to plush toys and real explosives. Throwing the latter into the furnace, be ready to run on all the compartments and extinguish the fire on the mechanisms, and then to fix them with a portable welding machine. One of the few real challenges faced by the player.

Also on the way will encounter various fragments of the past — factories, farms, ferries. There will have to leave steam other and solve simple puzzles, which usually boil down to pressing a couple of buttons and watching as the giant mechanisms are set in motion: open the gates and set on the car sails or, for example, the above mentioned welder.

The fuel scattered on the route in excess — at first, you need to stop and pause in the journey to collect the boxes and barrels, and then this need no longer ship Heath learns to assemble them yourself and we can easily surrender to the power of the movement-the flow, only occasionally puffing busily on the inside of the apparatus.

And the hassle is a nice physics and character, and cars costed very great: among the mechanisms and compartments do not get stuck, awkward control a rag doll can’t feel, breath and speed of our mobile friend feels like he is alive and connected to us some spiritual connection. After each pause to return to the movement — a real pleasure, and the game, despite their asceticism in terms of mechanic, is really exciting.

Here you can catch, becoming the top, as on the watch, in the breath of the winds in the evening…bliss

However, the best moments of FAR: Lone Sails — not the solution to problems or fuss in the belly of the machine, and pauses when we are sailing and you can easily get to the bridge and just watch the passing scenery, unleashed melancholy. She is the main character of the game, and not a nameless figure in a red raincoat. From melancholy there are a lot of shades from despair sadness and even despair to a sorrow bright with distinct notes of hope. Through the mood, you can look at what is happening the point of trying to build a picture of the past, to dig the metaphorical roots of the journey. Well or not to search, but just put yourself in his waves.

FAR: Lone Sails can be a lot to compare from brothers in the world of indie games: platformer from the metaphorical INSIDE, and Little Nightmares to the Final Station — simulator survival on a train through the wasteland, whose “cut off all unnecessary.” But direct competition as such from the creation Okomotive no. What if I want to compare FAR, except that the landscapes of Andrew Wyeth, cold, windy, unfriendly, but somehow addictive in themselves.

Brooding in the port, in the green environment, as in the framing of the palms, — the crown of your expectations

With landscapes of the great artist FAR have in common not only an innate melancholy and internal chill, but also the extraordinary visual style. Animated paintings today cannot be surprised — the game, a watercolor drawing by hand keeps popping up. But still rare enough to make your heart skip a beat when the sail is drawn several choppy strokes, suddenly trembled under heavily trained sky. This is a truly beautiful game that sounded cool in addition. No one here says but the machine is chugging along, sails flapping, wind howling, and accompanied by a very appropriate and lovingly-written music.

***

FAR: Lone Sails — the game is not long, simple, but short in duration and minimalism they rhythm perfectly-aged, and the process is addictive; the game has light breathing. It is not only real, but also want to pass in a single session. And maybe to start anew — new faces she will not open and the tests will not be offered, but to ride a wave of melancholy pleasure. How to read and then to read a good poem.

Advantages:

excellent rhythm: the hero and the car felt fine and managed;

the graceful visual style;

beautiful music.

Disadvantages:

conventional gameplay and short duration — however, many (like me) it also seems a plus.

Graphics

Watching post-game screenshots, I sometimes froze — we couldn’t believe that these pictures really moved. Technically FAR: Lone Sails very simple, but painted with great love and in addition carefully animated.

Sound

Good music — the obligatory companion of quality indie games. Here we note the work of Joel Schoch (Schoch Joel), has created very diverse in mood fabric.

Single game

Simulator travel on a steam machine from left to right, requiring the player is very small intervention here and the box in the furnace throw, that there to go out and lever to pull.

Multiplayer

Not provided.

Overall impression

Not so much a game as an interactive poem, wordless and almost plotless, but rhythmic, beautiful and fresh.